Double delight for Donnellys

A delighted Bellshill couple returned to Wishaw General to thank the staff who saved their twin boys' lives - and had a special gift in store.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Apr 2016, 11:33 BST
Updated 19th Apr 2016, 12:55 BST
The Donnelly family with ward manager Sheila Miller and staff.The Donnelly family with ward manager Sheila Miller and staff.
The Donnelly family with ward manager Sheila Miller and staff.

A year on from being born prematurely, Lewis and Logan Donnelly are thriving, having overcome a series of serious and life-threatening illnesses.

Mum Lynn said: “After nine years of IVF treatment, Tony and I were delighted to discover we were expecting twins.

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“However, delight soon turned to distress as the boys were born at 25 weeks and no one gave them a chance of survival.”

The first year was a rollercoaster for the family.

Following delivery, they were immediately taken to the neonatal unit at Wishaw General.

Lewis was 1lb 7oz and Logan was 1lb 11oz when they were born. Both boys had to be treated for retinopathy of prematurity to save their sight.

Lynn added: “The boys have really gone through it.

“Logan underwent a heart operation when he was only four weeks old and Lewis was on so many antibiotics that everyone thought he wasn’t going to make it.

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“They are fighters though and they survived, it shocked everyone – even the doctors.”

Lewis and Logan spent a total of 21 weeks in the neonatal unit.

They were also among the first to have benefitted from the HeRO (Heart Rate Observation) system.

The system works out the probability of a baby having an infection from variations in heartbeat.

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It provides early warning of infection which is a leading cause of death in vulnerable babies.

While Lewis and Logan were being treated in the unit, Lynn did some research and found studies that showed twins make a better recovery if they are kept close together.

One of the midwifes managed to organise a free trial of a twin cot while the boys were being cared for in the unit, and the Donnellys have now fundraised £2,500 to buy the bed for the hospital.

Sheila Miller, ward manager for the neonatal unit, said: “Lynn and Tony were so impressed with the difference the twin cot made to the boys’ recovery that they were determined to raise money to make it a permanent purchase.

“Thanks to their generosity other families have benefitted from using it and many more will do so in the future.

“The twin cot is a wonderful reminder of a truly inspirational family.”